


World Finest Busybodies

by EvilSlicey



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons), Justice League - All Media Types
Genre: Busy bodies, Fan-girling, M/M, Never keep a secret from superheroes, Secret Relationship, Spying
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-03-27
Packaged: 2019-10-06 20:37:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17352188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvilSlicey/pseuds/EvilSlicey
Summary: Everyone wants to know who Jason is dating. Even if it means they have to go a bit crazy to find out.





	1. Winter Festival

**Author's Note:**

> So I had this idea that Jason would have a secret relationship that was like achingly normal. Like nearly full house cheesily happy.
> 
> As there were no female hero's or villains I liked for the role of "Bizarrely normal girlfriend" i made him one....  
> I'm sorry.  
> Hate if you want

“This is idiotic.” Bruce grumbled as he looked dubiously into the bag of popcorn he had been forced to take.

“Come on Bruce, everyone needs some down time.” Clark smiled and lightly punched Bruce in the shoulder, which caused the vigilante to flinch and glare at the brightly happy superhero.

“I agree Bruce, and your children are having fun as well.” Diana soothed before Bruce could snap at Clark, sliding her to hook with his and lean against him. Bruce responded by leaning back slightly, partly to mimic her behavior partly because it was rather cold.

In front of the three heroes John Stewart was showing J’onn J’onzz a stall selling some kind of projectile toy and Wally West was practically hoping as he won a toy at a game that required him to throw ping pong balls into cups. A little farther up Dick Grayson and Roy Harper each held the hand of a little girl, Lian, as they watched some fire dancers while Tim Drake was practically asleep with what Bruce could only assume was ice cold coffee clutched in one hand while he leaned against the bigger and more solid body of Conner Kent. Damian was studying some kind of decoration at a stall across from the dances while Colin Wilkes seemed split between watching him and the dancers.

“Its below freezing.” Bruce grumbled.

“I think you can handle a little cold for an hour or two old man.” Arthur chided as he returned to their little huddle with 4 steaming travel cups. Bruce grumbled when he took one, happily surprised to find that he had brought them warm apple cider.

“Bruce, maybe you would have more fun if you found a game or performer to watch? Maybe we could go on of the rides?” Diana gestured to the surrounding Winter Carnival as if it would make it seem more appealing with a second look. Why people in Gotham were willing to spend their time at such a place was beyond Bruce, it just seemed like way to attract dangerous people and get frost bite to him. That didn’t mean he wanted to ruin everyone else’s night.

“Thank you, Diana, but really I think I might feel better if we found some of the food booths and got something with more substance than popcorn.” He tried to give a weak smile to the Amazon.

“Kettlecorn.” Clark corrected as he stole a handful from the bag Bruce had been forced to hold.

“I don’t see the difference.” Bruce responded with a deadpan.

“Kettlecorn is tastier.” Wally responded as he appeared in front of him to steal the bag back and replacing it with a stuffed bat. “I won you something.”

Bruce examined the cartoon bat with a slightly stronger smile and shook his head. The speedster was an odd one.

“Should we gather the whole group, so we can get food then?” Diana asked with a smirk. “We wouldn’t want our resident bat cranky from hunger after all.

Bruce scowled at Diana but made a gesture to John to bring J’onn back to the group and moved to gather the younger heroes. His first genuine smile of the day was brought by Lian’s happy chatter about the ‘pretty’ dancers while Dick and Roy chuckled.

The group of heroes wondered to where food booths and trucks where set up with a series of tables clustered around some heaters. Roy, Clark and Arthur all split off to secure enough for the whole group while the remaining heroes split off to attack the offered food venders in order to get and try a little bit of everything. In addition to feeding two Kryptonians and speedster that was.

When Bruce finally sat down with two loaded trays full of Indian fried bread tacos, with Damian placing two similar looking trays next to his full of falafel and fried vegetables, most of the rest hard already returned with their additions to the feast. They passed trays around with empty plates that Clark had secured and divided up their finds before digging in.

Bruce had finally just begun to relax and almost enjoy himself when Wally jab him in the ribs to get his attention.

“Hey Bruce, I didn’t know Jason was joining us.” The red head said with a confused look as he kept glancing around Bruce.

“He’s not.” Bruce responded coolly rubbing where Wally had poked him.

“We couldn’t have invited him if we wanted to.” Dick offered from where he was cutting up a piece of pizza into a smaller piece for Lian. “He doesn’t exactly keep in regular contact or give us his cell phone number.”

“Ok, but hes standing right over there.” Wally pointed to where he had been staring and looked around the table like he was expecting to be told off. All the heroes paused what they were doing to look where he was pointing.

Leaning against the side of one of the food trucks was Jason Todd staring intently at his phone, seeming to give little care to the world around him. He never looked over towards them but while they stared at him, they could see him look up twice to glance back towards all the other attractions twice like he was looking for something specific.

“Did he follow us here?” Tim asked frowning, placing his fork down like he expected to have to get up soon. Bruce noticed that Dick and Damian had similar postured and frowned too. He didn’t think Jason was following them or tracking them, but it was weird and concerning. If he wasn’t there for them, he could there to track or take down a criminal of some kind. The thought of that made Bruce itchy and like his eye was about to twitch.

“Come on guys, he seems like he’s waiting for someone. We should say hi and ask if he wants to join us.” Clark broke through the tension running thought the residents of Gotham sitting among their tables. Bruce blinked and looked over at his friend and sighed.

Clark was right, and he hated it when he was.

“He’s right, I’m going to go talk to him. You three try to not look like your about to jump him.” Bruce leveled his three Robins with a hard look that made them stiffen in their seat and cast each other looks of concern.

Bruce wasn’t surprised when Diana moved to follow behind when he began his approach to his wayward ward. He couldn’t openly ask her to accompany him but having someone who Jason idolized with him was probably for the best. Together they could at least talk to him even if they couldn’t get Jason to join them.

At least that seemed like the battle plan.

As they approached the wayward vigilante they paused when they saw him cock his head and turn to look down the path towards the main attractions. Straining over the sounds of the happy festival goers the could vaguely hear a woman calling for someone named Joey and cursing them out. They could see a broad smile spread over Jason’s face as he moved to be more into the middle of the walkway.

Bruce and Diana both stiffened in surprise as a small boy with a bracelet flashing with a red light on his wrist barreled into Jason and the young man laughed as he hauled him up.

“Jason!” A woman with rainbow colored hair wrapped in a braid down one side came running up behind the boy panting slightly. “Don’t encourage him! He knows better than to run away from me in a crowded place.”

Jason laughed and slipped the little boy to the ground with a roguish smile. He began gesturing to the boy in what Bruce could tell was sign language, reprimanding him a half-hearted manner from running from his mother and ignoring his signal to stop. The little boy blushed but smiled wider and hugged Jason around the waist.

The woman sighed and clicked something on her phone that apparently caused the flashing light to turn off.

They weren’t close enough to hear what was being said between the two adults, but shortly after they began talking the woman leaned and kissed Jason solidly on the mouth.

“I believe Jason has a girlfriend.” Diana said dryly, pulling Bruce to the side of the main walk way to watch in a less noticeable manner. Bruce nodded with a curious look on his face.

“A girlfriend with a child.” Bruce amended.

“Who apparently is quiet taken with him.” Diana leaned again Bruce.

From a distance they could see Jason examining something the little boy had pulled out of the backpack he had been wearing. The woman was watching with a smile and appeared to be laughing as Jason continued to hold a sign-based conversation with the boy that Bruce was now at bad angle to make out.

“I’m going to spend the next 3 weeks with the boys trying to investigate that woman you know.” Bruce sighed and rubbed his eyes as Jason and the woman began to move on towards one of the food trucks.

“I am surprised I haven’t seen them stand up to start tailing them already.” Diana nodded in agreement and made a small flick of a gesture towards the tables. Clark and J’onn where obviously trying to talk the younger heroes from their desire to give chase. Bruce was half surprised to see Wally taking pictures while the more responsible heroes where focused on the more reckless ones.

“I feel like I should just go talk to Jason now and get it over with.” Bruce sighed and squared himself to do so. He stopped when he realized he couldn’t see Jason and the woman anymore. He had been so focused on the heroes that the crowd had swallowed his former Robin before he could make a note of where he went.

“Or, we can go help talk down your sons.” Diana offered with a hand held out to him.

Bruce sighed and took Diana’s arm to head back to the heroes.

Back the tabled Bruce’s head immediately began to throb as he could hear Tim and Conner debating the best way to surveille Jason and Roy was telling Dick that stalking a single mother was kind of wrong.

“Enough. You will do nothing.” Bruce ordered as he leaned over the table. He leveled every one of the more excitable heroes with his best Bat-glare and took a deep breath that he knew would sound a touch intimidating before he continued. “You will not hunt down this woman, you will not follow him or her, you won’t watch a, what I’m guessing, seven-year-old boy. I will contact him when I think it is appropriate and see if he is willing to introduce us.”

“Jason has a girlfriend.” Tim said evenly.

“A girlfriend with a child.” Damian added his eyes bright with mischief.

“A girlfriend with a child he’s told us nothing about. When he knows and has mocked or teased us in someway about all of our relationships.” Dick added glancing over at Ray.

Bruce sighed and looked over at the other heroes who he was dismayed to see were perked up in interest. Even Clark.

“Whatever you do, there will me no violence, no property damage, and you will leave that child out of it.” He warned with a finger jab to each of his boys. They all glanced at each other briefly only to turn back to their mentor and nod in agreement. Bruce turned to the other heroes, a special glared levied on his sons’ boyfriends.

“I don’t know what you lot are going to do in all this but same rules. If I find out otherwise, I will be displeased.” His voice dripped with his Bat coldness and Wally visible flinched at the sound. When the heroes nodded calmly and sagely, he sat back down and stabbed a fork into the now slightly cold egg rolls on his plate.

“Clark?” Bruce said as he took small bite.

“Yeah Bruce?” The man of steel blinked and shifted uncomfortably next to his long-time justice league partner. Bruce fought the smile that threatened to appear when with the knowledge that Superman was scared of him.

“Next time, when I tell you a group outing in Gotham is a bad idea, listen to me. The next month is going to be hell.” Bruce gestured towards the plotting Robins.

“Yeah, next time we should got to Star, drag Ollie into the crazy.” Wally snarked as he made a sizable dent in the collected food.

“Sorry Bruce.” Clark cringed, warming up Bruce’s food with his heat vision as though he thought it would get him off the hook for the crazy. It did not but it did make Bruce happier to have warm food. And a hand squeezing his.

Bruce vaguely felt sorry for Jason as he let the taste of food distract him from his unhappiness. So much of Wally’s approach to life suddenly made sense.


	2. Wally reads a young adult novel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing happens but everything happens...   
> Comment if you like hate or have a question thanks!

A week went by after the fairly successful and outrageously disastrous League outing.

Every night Bruce had to deal with his former Robins talking over the comms about what they had discovered about Jason. Batman had to hear whispers among the younger League members about it as well.

What was most annoying was the fact that there wasn’t anything to talk about.

Jason had always been good about not being easily found, limiting the need for the League to take him in when he was a bit more violent or reckless than they liked. Suddenly he was harder to fine.

Every one of his known safehouses were cleaned out without a trace. He’s areas of patrol were still taken care of, though he was less visible than he had been in the past. All the methods they had to contact him were untraceable for safety reasons.

All the heroes knew was he was living in Gotham and had a girlfriend.

Bruce was hopeful that the frustration would win out soon and he would be allowed to just handle the situation his way. His way being to actually talk to Jason like an adult.

All that was to what lead to him being blind sided at the next League meeting.

Wally had been more fidgety than usual. He was at least mercifully quiet but even with the full Batman glare leveled on him and Diana whispering in his ear to calm down didn’t stop him. As report were given the other Leaguers got more and more nervous until Arthur was the first to snap.

“For the love of god Flash, you’re even making me uncomfortable. Spit it out or calm down.” The Atlantean growled and slammed his fist on the table. The Flash just blinked and blushed under his cowl.

“I don’t- Don’t be- I’m fine. Everything is Fine. It’s fine.” Flash stammered and his eyes darted around the table like he was looking for an escape.

“Flash.” Bruce spoke softly and calmly, his eyes locked on the speedster. Wally fidgeted a bit more before sighing and finally making eye contact.

“I need to ask if I can go to Gotham with you after the meeting Batman.”

All the other members of the Justice League all stared at him with a surprised look in varying degrees of apprehension. Bruce simply stayed quiet and collected knowing eventually he would get a reason out of the younger hero. Clark was the one to break the silence.

“Flash, why do you need to go to Gotham? Did one of Rogues branch out?” Clark asked with a hopeful lilt.

Wally blushed again and sighed.

“I uh… know who the girl is and wanted to tell Red Robin and Robin.” He finally admitted with a glance down at his hands.

Diana narrowed her eyes and looked over at Bruce. Bruce resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose and to groan, steadied by the feel of a hand on his knee.

“I assume by the girl you are referring to the woman Red Hood appears to be dating.” Oliver Queen asked, perking up at hearing some information about the sighting he had missed.

“Uh, yeah… her.” Wally glanced around and bit his lip. “Look, I figured it would prevent the Robins from acting to crazy if they just knew who they were looking for.”

“How did you find her?” John asked looking curious. Bruce stiffened and was only prevented from growling by Clark tightening his grip on his thigh. He knew that heroes had a hard time not poking at a mystery, he just really wished they knew which mysteries to bother with.

Wally on the other hand was almost as red as his suit, struggling to no look at anyone. He grabbed the bag he shoved under the table when he had arrived and pulled out a thick hardback book.

“I read her book and recognized he when I looked at the author’s page looking for the website to get a full list of the series.” He tossed the book on the table and buried his head in his hands. Clark used his super speed to grab the book first and examine the cover where Bruce could see.

The title was in simple font declaring the name _Run Away_ on a background of black and green, with the image of a young girl running through underbrush. Once Clark was sure Bruce had seen what he could see he opened it to the back to reveal the about the author. Bruce could see the picture of a young woman who could be the one they had seen with Jason at the winter carnival.

He couldn’t make out the type and background information at the angle, but he could make out enough to know she was about Jason’s age and had an adopted child. It could be the right woman. That picture however…

“How are you sure this is her?” Clark asked for him while he examined the grainy picture. “This picture is black and white and a bit small.”

“Yeah, if you visit the site though…” Wally typed on the interface in front of him and pulling a website on to the large monitor.

The main page had information about two different book series, a list of upcoming events and a FAQ list. Wally clicked a link on the top that switched the sight to pictures and interviews by the author.

The first one was clearly of the woman from the carnival, rainbow colored hair braided to the side with the other side buzzed short, the boy that had been there on her side and an individual dressed up as a costumed movie monster, apparently at a convention of some kind. Beneath it was a short interview about her writing.

Bruce couldn’t argue with Wally’s assessment.

He could be annoyed about what this revelation will mean for him and the Robins. He hoped the younger men could remember that they were to leave the child alone.

“Is there any further business?” Bruce asked dryly. The other members of Justice League blinked and snapped away from screen to look over at Batman with various faces of chagrin and amusement.

“I believe all our business has been completed.” J’onn finally spoke up, nodding at Bruce in a way that annoyed him as he knew that it was due to him reading his thoughts.

“In that case.” Bruce stood up and walked towards the zeta tubes. The other members all scrambled to leave, being dismissed only by Batman’s departure. Wally flashed to Bruce’s side smiling nervously as the older vigilante entered coordinated and his unlock code into the system. Bruce only paused to signal to Superman that he was fine and would see him later. The head tilt and weak smile felt odd with this annoyance starting to pound in his head.

Wally stayed mercifully quiet and well behaved as they traveled to the cave.

Seeing his sons clustered around the computer, obviously quietly discussing the Jason mystery. Bruce stalked up as quietly as he could, never revealing his presence to the Robins.

It was only Wally tripping over his feet as he got distracted by some item in the cave that caused the young men to stiffen and look up with no sense of shame on their faces.

“The Flash has some information for you. I will remind you of the limits I have placed on this investigation.” Bruce leveled a glare on each of his children before stomping away to the armory switch out his gear before he went on patrol. He was feeling that he would rather wade into to more dangerous areas tonight and he needed tools better suited for close quarters fighting.

When Bruce returned to the main room of the cave, he finally sighed out loud seeing the image of the woman on the monitor here with several pages of other data around it.

“Will you be joining me for patrol or simply intend to focus on your silly stalking?” Bruce flinched when he realized he sounded like Alfred and made a note to do something for the elderly guardian.

“Come on B, aren’t you interested in who Jason is spending his time with?” Dick looked away from the screen to frown at Bruce and seemed disappointed in him,

“I care about all the people you spend your time with. I just rather wait for you to provide me with the information or ask you directly.” Bruce went to another interface and began pulling up police reports that had come in so far that night.

“The woman owns that company that has been converting those warehouses in to apartments.” Tim stated coolly as he studied a page of data.

“As well as a bookstore.” Damien added

“But she has only been in Gotham for 3 years. Aren’t you worried that she is secretly trying to plan something?”

“Nightwing, many investors have begun conversation projects in the once abandoned warehouses, even those that were used as bases by the various villains we have faced against. All that means is that she is diversifying her income.” Bruce sighed as he signed off.

“You won’t be following her tonight, I hope. She should most likely be asleep.”

The Robins looked at each other and sighed, Damian and Dick pushing away to grab their gear while Tim pulled up the monitoring system.

“I take it this means that come morning you will be looking more into Hannah Mackenzie?”

None of the younger men responded though Bruce could hear a distinct chuckle behind him. He sighed again and made his way to the Bat-Mobile.

“Flash, I think you’ve done enough. Central must be needing you tonight.”

“Oh right. I should… do that…” Wally moved to leave the cave and stopped to look at Batman with a bit of shame on his face. “Sorry Bats… I just thought it was for the best.”

Bruce didn’t respond, simply slamming his door shut and peeling out of the cave, trying to get as far away as possible from his band of busy bodies.


	3. Robins are exhausting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me while to update, I got distracted by family time and other works

“Bruce, I worry about your children.” Clark voiced both men’s opinions as he looked over the information that Dick, Wally and the other Robin’s had collected over the last two a half weeks. Bruce could only sigh and nod as he looked over the series of pictures of videos on the screens of the Batcomputer with their perfectly formatted companion notes.

At least his partners knew how to properly create a research file on a target.

Bruce sighed again as he cast a final glance at the collected information and a swept away from the computer as he made his way to find his children, determined for this to stop. They had more than enough to time learn it this woman was dangerous, and even he was uncomfortable with the number of images of her on his computer. Clark could do nothing more than to follow his boyfriend on his mission.

Bruce groaned out loud when he found his children, with Wally whose presents sent a twinge of annoyance through his head, around the dining room table with snacks, most likely provided by Alfred, and some print outs of the collected images. They were so solely focused that the didn’t even respond to Bruce and Clark’s presence in the room.

Bruce wished for the first time in his life that the Joker or Scarecrow were out of Arkham and creating chaos. At least then the bored superheroes would have something to do.

Without any trace of patience or subtlety, Bruce cleared his throat behind the youngest of the caped crusaders. Clark snickered when the four men jumped in surprise and turned to blush at the more experienced heroes.

“Hi Bruce.” Dick called with a faint smile as he tried to sweep up some of the documents in front of him into a pile in a way Bruce wouldn’t see.

“Father, may we assist you?” Damian asked with an attempt to sound younger and innocent. It was almost amusing to see the usually angry face of the boy forcibly smoothed his face into the visage of a sweet and innocent child.

“I think your little research project has gotten a bit out of hand.” Bruce said dryly, reaching over Tim’s head and picking up a photo, avoiding the haphazard and futile attempts to snatch it away from him. The image showed the woman, carrying some heavily laden grocery tote bags through a parking lot with the young boy trailing behind her with his hand on her wrist. She was smiling at the boy, who seemed to be trying to sneak a peek into one of the bags.

A glance at the table he could see more images from this time, ending with the woman driving away in a beat-up truck that looked like something Clark would love. Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose and scrunched up his eyes.

Bruce was fairly certain that his sons needed a reality check.

“Have you found anything interesting?” Bruce sounded extremely tired as he shifted through some of the documents on the table. Everyone at the table shared a nervous look which confirmed Bruce’s belief that the girl Jason was seeing was mostly normal.

“We are still doing research.” Tim said with a fake grin.

“Can I convince you to just talk to Jason?” Bruce asked with a glance to Clark for support. The Kryptonian smiled and took one of the surveillance photos to examine the collected evidence. Not that Bruce or Clark would be able to find much of value of an image of woman weeding a garden.

Besides the scarred skin on display from her more revealing clothing.

“We don’t know she isn’t using him or is a spy.” Dick responded defiantly taking back the pictures.

“She may seem normal but when has anyone we’ve meet been perfectly normal.” Tim said with a bit of dismissiveness.

“If she is dating Todd she must be deranged.” Damian scoffed.

“We have one final plan before we accept that… this” Dick pointed to one of the few images that showed Jason with the woman, standing on a step ladder while he seemed to be retrieving something from the roof of the house seen in most of the images while the woman stood by the ladder, holding it and looking up.

“Do we want to know that your plan is?” Clark asked for the pair, seeming as exasperated as Bruce.

Before any of the heroes could answer, or Wally could make a fun for it under the disapproving eyes of the more senior League members, the door bell rang. Everyone turned towards the foray where Alfred could be heard answering the door and greeting their guests.

Seconds later Lian Harper came running in and jumped into Dick’s lap with a squeal of ‘Dicky!’ with Roy Harper trailing behind her, talking quietly with Alfred as the joined the rest. Bruce bite back a groan at the sight, already knowing what the plan was. Wally seemed to know what Bruce was thinking because his eyes opened wide with horror and looked like he was about to run from the room.

“Dick.” Bruce asked with forced calmness that tightened his voice and made the words come out more clipped than intended. Dick, Tim and Damian instantly stiffened at the sound, Dick pulling the little girl tighter in his arms like a shield.

“Yes Bruce?”

“Am I to understand that you four, five if Harper is aware of your intentions, plan to use a young child to help you gather information on a woman you could probably freely and without incident meet if you just talked to Jason.”

“No?” Dick responded with wide eyes and swallowed like he was trying to prevent a squeak come out of his mouth. “I mean she is coming along, but that’s just because her teacher asked Roy to find some books that Lian would actually read because she has been revolting and refusing to read in class.”

“And what exactly is your plan?” Bruce sighed.

“We are going to enter this woman’s book store and try and gain intel about her and her goals.” Damian said with determination.

Tim groaned and rubbed his eyes.

“He makes it sound worse than it probably is. We just want to get a closer look on her life, and her business seems like the best option.” Tim explained.

“Fine, Alfred can you pull up the SUV? It seems we are going to a book store.” Bruce said as he straightened his tie. He looked over to Clark who was the only person who didn’t look shocked in the room. “Would you like to join us, or do you need to go back to work?”

“I can always have time for books.”

“You don’t have to come.” Tim said timidly, looking at Dick and Damian for help.

“Yes, I do, you can go an learn more about this woman and then tomorrow I call Jason. Or I call him now. Your choice.” Bruce stated with his arms folded and his face stern. The Robins shared a look and sighed in unison.

“Tst. Fine Father, you may join us.” Damian said as he stood up and moved toward the main hall.

“Uh, you know… I should get back to work… and not be around crazy Bats as they spy.” Wally said as he pushed away from the table and inched away from the group. Dick glared at the red-head but sighed and stood up, gathering Lian in his arms as he did.

“Do you what you have to do Wally. We’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Dick sounded reassuring as moved to join Roy.

“Oh, thank god, I mean good, yes, tomorrow… Bye!” There was a sudden flash of lightning and the smell of ozone as Wally Flashed away and left Roy and Clark to deal with their boyfriends and their family.

The group quickly found there way into an overly large SUV, Lian strapped into a booster seat after Roy and Dick struggled with it, and Clark sitting up front next to Alfred while the rest of the men piled in.

The boys stayed noticeably quiet while Alfred drove, clearly not wanting to voice their theories and ideas in front of Alfred and Bruce. Bruce was ok with this.

They invited Alfred to join them in the bookshop, offering to order him a tea while they shopped, but the older man declined stating he was going to pop into a near by antique shop to see if he could find a part to repair a piece back at the manor. That left just the Bat family members, escorted by Roy Harper and Clark Kent and an 8-year-old girl to approach and enter the book store.

The store itself was a classic Gotham establishment. It was in a 12-story building, apartments making up the top ten stories while the first two where taken up by the shop. The bottom floor was mostly a café, with a small shopping area off the dining area while stairs led to the main area of shelves.

A few people were scattered through the shop, browsing the books or nursing cups at the tables. Bruce could pick out three employees, one stocking, two behind the counter where one was cleaning equipment and the other was tiding up around the register. Their target (and Bruce mentally groaned when he thought of her as such because he knew the boys’ obsession was rubbing off on him) wasn’t in sight but Bruce could see a door way leading to restrooms and probably the office in the back.

Bruce nudged Clark and pointed to a table. Clark took a seat followed by Tim and Damian, while Dick and Roy took Lian up the stairs to browse and Bruce went to order them drinks. The cashier finished organizing some bookmarks and turned to smile at Bruce, no hint of recognition in his face.

“Hi, can I help you?” The young man asked as he adjusted his glasses and glanced at the other man still cleaning a machine.

“Can I get four coffees?” Bruce asked warily as he dug into his pocket for his wallet, wondering how long they were going to wind up spending there.

“That might be a problem.” The cashier sighed with a glace again at the other man. “Kyle, have you got the machine up again?”

“I uh…” The other young man blinked and blushed. He looked over at Bruce and blushed harder. “I’m sorry I’m new and…”

“Kyle, I think you should take your break.” A woman’s voice cut through making Bruce stiffen. He could even feel the boys sitting behind him come to attention. Bruce glanced over and saw the woman he had first seen with Jason over a month before, purple cat’s eye glasses perched on her nose, rainbow colored hair braided to the side and a clipboard and binder in her hands.

“I’m sorry I!” The boy seems to panic stepping away from the machine.

“Kyle, you’ve been here since 6 and skipped your break and lunch. You’re not in trouble just go take a break, I can handle that beast. I think it hates anyone who isn’t me anyways.” The woman calmly comforted him, patting his arm and pointing to the back.

“Sorry, I thought I could get it.” The man blushed again as he slipped around the woman.

“You will, it just takes practice.”

The woman smiled at Bruce and placed her paperwork on the counter.

“Four coffees?” She asked before she moved take up the other man’s position, seeming to quickly get the machine back into working order and filling a reservoir.

“Yes, that would be great.” Bruce replied, finally glancing back to his table. Clark looked exhausted and Tim and Damian were sitting up straight and stiff. Their eyes were locked on the woman like she had the secrets to life and the universe.

“Coming right up.” The woman smiles and the cashier rang up Bruce. Bruce paid and joined his table glaring at the hyperaware young vigilantes.

“Do you two think you could tone it down a bit? It you stare any harder at that woman she might burst in to flame.” Bruce murmured under his breath before he turned to Clark. “I apologize for my children.”

“I am so happy I only have to deal with them in small doses.” Clark replied.

“What is she like?” Tim asked in a hushed voice.

“She sent her employee on a break, fixed the machine and started making out drinks.” Bruce sad stalely. “I’m sorry she didn’t voice a desire to destroy Gotham.”

The two younger vigilantes glared at him just as the woman approached with a tray with 4 mugs on it.

“Sorry about before, Kyle is new and trying to learn the equipment.” The woman stated as she placed mugs in front of them and put a milk jug in the middle of the table next to the sugar packets. “Is there anything else I can help you with.”

Bruce jumped in before Tim and Damian could talk, knowing what ever the two boys said would be wrong for the situation.

“Thank you, this is all we need for now.” Bruce flashed his best ‘Brucie’ smile at the woman who nodded and moved on, this time moving between the tables, clearing them off and wiping them down and talking to the other customers.

“Why didn’t you ask he any questions?” Damian hissed. “That was our opportunity to learn more about that women.”

“And what would I ask her?” Bruce asked as he handed Clark the milk, who began to doctor up his coffee with a chuckle.

The two younger men shared looks and turned back.

“Why she is in Gotham?” Tim suggested.

“Why and how she is dating Todd.” Damian grumbled.

“And then she would wonder how we know her.” Bruce said with a sigh. “Just watch and listen, no need to push it.”

The woman finished gathering cups and trash, wiping down all the tables and returning to hand off the dirty dishes to the cashier who took them and headed into the back. She took his position watching the register and pulled back her binder and clipboard, a pen in hand.

“Hey Travis?” She called cutting through the quiet. The man who had been stocking a shelf on the second floor stood up and leaned over the rail.

“Yeah Han?”

“Did we get the order for the Cobbs together?” She asked with her pen hovering over a line.

“I don’t think so, we’ve been busy with the shipment all day. Want me to get started on it?”

“No, I’ll do it when Wendall is done unloading the dirty dishes.” The woman said, making a mark on the page and glancing around the room. She smiled at the heroes’ table when she saw them looking at her and leaned under the counter to pull out an unfolded box from underneath which she started to assemble.

The other man returned, and the woman began moving around, collecting the items for the order using the piece of paper she had in front of her.

The group at the table wound up watching her while she moved between the two floors and displays, collecting items. When Dick and Roy came to join them with a stack of books for Lian, with a very unhappy looking 8-year-old in tow the woman just finished off and was labeling the box.

“Did you find anything you liked Lian?” Clark asked when the little girl pouted and took a seat in front of the stack.

“No, Books are stupid.” Lian grumbled and Roy sighed.

“I grabbed a few books her teacher suggested but she isn’t interested.” Roy said as he held up a copy of _The Summer of the Monkeys._ “Lian isn’t not impressed by the descriptions though. It doesn’t help that she is actually above the other students in reading level.”

“All the books have boys saving the girls. They are stupid.” Lian mumbled.

“Well then you probably wouldn’t like Lisa, if you don’t like books.” The group stiffened with surprise when the woman’s voice cut in and they turned to see her leaning against the counter with a smile.

“Lisa? Who’s Lisa?” Lian asked, her interest palatable as she took in the brightly colored woman.

“Lisa Nelson? The girl who owned a city? She didn’t need a boy to save her and knew how important books are. But if you don’t like books who wouldn’t like her.” The woman said as she wiped down the counter then leaned into to whisper in the cashier’s ear. She moved to walk up the stairs going to the children’s section and grabbing four books before she returned.

“She owned a city? How do you own a city? It’s too big!” Lian questions as the woman placed the books next to the pile Roy had grabbed and idlily started looking through the first pile.

“I think that depends on how you see a city. In ancient times cities were strong holds to protect people and that’s what she owned. See, Lisa lost her mom and dad, along with all the other adults. All the other kids in her town either kept to themselves to stay alive or banded together to steal from each other. But Lisa? Her father taught her stuff that could help her stay alive and she realized she needed to work with others to keep herself and her brother alive. So, she made a city.” The woman smiled and held up one of the books from her pile, where a girl who looked barely older than Lian stood in front of a group of children and a large building and the word _The Girl Who Owned a City_.

Lian grabbed the book and stared at it.

“That sounds interesting…” Lian said uncertainly as she flipped the book over to read the blurb on the back.

“This one.” The woman lifted up a book with Dragon and a princess on the cover sporting the name _Dealing with Dragons_. “This book is about a Princess who doesn’t like being a princess and how it takes away her say in her life so instead she decides to go live with a Dragon and work with her.”

“Really?” Lian almost hopped in her seat at the description, eyes looked on the small pile.

“Yep, the other two are about young woman who wants to be a knight and Dorthy of Oz.”

“Like the movie?”

“The movie is based on the book, but I think the book is better.” The woman nodded, she handed Roy some of the books. “These ones a bit too outdated she might not find them interesting.”

“Uh thanks, how did you know what books to suggest?” Roy asked as he separated the books from his pile.

“I was a book nerd from kindergarten on, and I know what books I liked to read when I was her age. It just trial and error, if she likes any of those more than the other you can find some suggestions for similar titles online.”

“Thank you.” Roy sounded sincere as he watched Lian open one of the books with interest and start reading.

The woman smiled and glanced at the table.

“Can I get you guys anything else?” She asked sweetly, pointed looking at the drinkless area in front of Dick and Roy.

“Oh, yeah can we get two coffees and a hot chocolate?” Dick jumped on the opportunity. The woman smiled again and walked to the counter, placing their order with the cashier and moving to make their drinks. The group turned to look at the little girl and her books as a new customer entered the shop and walked to the counter, examining the situation they just witnessed.

“She seems nice.” Roy stated flatly.

“She seems normal.” Tim clarified, more for himself than anyone else.

“No offense honey, but are we allowed to date normal? Is that a thing?” Dick asked, his eyes scrunching up at the corners as he thought.

“None taken, and I don’t know, I don’t know anyone who has ever tired.” Roy smiled.

“Can we please just talk to Jason now and stop stalking this young woman?” Bruce asked before he took a long sip of his coffee.

“One interaction isn’t enough for us to get a full picture of this woman’s character Father.” Damian tsked as he took a sip of his own drink.

“Which is precisely why we should just talk to Jason and let him tell us about her and introduce us properly.” Bruce reasoned.

Just then one of the young men working in the shop showed up with the newly ordered drinks and a check slip. The heroes were surprised by the change and looked around for the woman again. She was no where to be seen and the newer customer was sitting at a table glaring towards the back room.

“Where did she-“ Dick started when a chair being pulled up to their table cut him off. The heroes blinked their surprise as Jason took a seat at their table looking unhappy.

“Hey family, fancy seeing you here.” Jason greeted them, looking unamused. Clark swore and the rest of the men looked at him in surprise, realizing the game is was up. Bruce sighed and rubbed his forehead.

“I never should have let you three play private eye.” He said stated as he looked over to his more estranged son. He knew this wouldn’t be fun.


End file.
